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Chadron’s Dawn Dunbar leads Gering’s Maria Avila in the 55-meter hurdles final during the Chadron State College Indoor on Saturday in Chadron. Dunbar won the event with a time of 9.55 seconds and Avila placed third in 9.84.

Local track and field athletes enjoy success at season-opening Chadron Indoor

Chadron’s Dawn Dunbar leads Gering’s Maria Avila in the 55-meter hurdles final during the Chadron State College Indoor on Saturday in Chadron. Dunbar won the event with a time of 9.55 seconds and Avila placed third in 9.84.

CHADRON — The high school track and field season got underway here Saturday when the Chadron State College High School Indoor Meet took place.

During the nasty blizzard that struck the region on Wednesday, it seemed doubtful that the meet could be held. But CSC track and field coach Riley Northrup, the meet director, held off cancelling the event and when crewmen spent long hours clearing the highways as the skies were also clearing, things fell into place.

A total of 229 athletes participated. That’s less than half the usual number, but those who competed seemed grateful they were able to “stretch their legs” after being cooped up the previous three days.

Scottsbluff and Gering, the two largest schools entered, captured their share of the top honors, but Chadron and a couple of the smaller schools from neighboring states also demonstrated that they’ve got clout in some events.

Two girls from out of state were double winners. Hailey Jones from Moorcroft, Wyo., won both the 400 and 800 meters and Karlee Simmons of Hill City, S.D., ran away with both the 1,600 and 3,200 meters.

Jones was the Class 2A state champion in both the 800 and 1600 meters and also was the runner-up in the 400 at the 2018 Wyoming State High School Meet while Simmons has lots of company when she runs distances for Hill City. The next four placewinners in the 1600 Saturday were her teammates and the Lady Rangers breezed to victory in the 4x800 relay.

Scottsbluff’s Yara Garcia won a sprint at the meet for the second year in a row. Last year she captured the 400 and this year it was the 200. In addition she was the runner-up among the 41 entries in the 55-meter dash. That race was won by Ashlyn Mundell, a phenomenal 6th grader from Casper, Wyo., who ranks among the fastest runners of her age group in the nation. Mundell’s name would appear to be one to remember.

Three more Scottsbluff girls won field events. Brady Laucomer took the long jump by going 15-10 ¾, two inches farther than her teammate, Mariyah Avila, who was the triple jump winner at 32-10, and the third victory went to Beretta Coats in the pole vault.

Chadron girls also won three individual events and two relays. Dawn Dunbar captured the 55-meter hurdles, True Thorne was the shot put winner and Olivia Reed cleared 5-2 while winning the high jump.

Both Dunbar and Reed ran on the Cardinals’ first place 4x400 relay and Dunbar also was the runner-up in the triple jump.

Gering had lots to cheer about in the boys’ events.

Individual winners on the track included Cody Ferguson in the 400, Brett Pszanka in the 800 and Peyton Seiler in the 1,600. Bulldogs Garrett W. Conn won the long jump and Kolton Ebbers was the high jump champion, but not before he and James Bruner of Scottsbluff had a “jump off.”

Both Ebbers and Bruner initially cleared 6-1, but neither could top 6-2. When the bar was lowered back to 6-1, Ebbers went over it, but Bruner missed. However, Bruner did not have a bad day. He was also third in the long jump. Ebbers was third in the 55 dash.

Scottsbluff’s winners in boys’ events included the Class B defending 100-meter state champion and football standout Chris Busby in the 55 dash, and three field events winners. Turner Skow threw the shot put 46-5 to edge Gering’s Garrett M. Conn by three inches for top honors, Cameron Geary triple jumped 40-6 ½ to claim that event and Kevin Price had one of the day’s top marks when he topped 13-6 in the pole vault.

Chadron also had two boys take firsts. Dom Nobiling captured the 55-meter hurdles and Nathan Burch won the 3,200 meters. The 200-meter winner was Grayson Osmon of Moorcroft.

Gering won all three of the boys’ relay races. Ferguson anchored both the 4x160 and 4x400 relays. Individual event winners Garrett W. Conn, Pszanka and Seiler also ran on first-place relays.

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